Sunday, February 10, 2008

Honeybee Deaths Resume in U.S Hives, USDA Reports (Update1)

Feb. 7 (Bloomberg) -- A malady that has killed billions ofbees since 2006, threatening about $15 billion in pollinatedcrops, is devastating hives again, according to the U.S.Department of Agriculture's top honeybee researcher.

Left unchecked, honeybee losses may affect the availabilityand price of crops such as almonds, the USDA has said. A beeshortage may harm production of other pollinated crops such asblueberries and pumpkins, lowering profits at companies fromDole Food Co., the world's largest fresh-produce seller, toHershey Co., maker of Almond Joy candy bars, and Blue DiamondGrowers, the world's largest tree-nut processing and marketingcompany.

The effects of the malady may not be as severe this year aslast because beekeepers are taking better care of their insectsto maintain colony health, said Jerry Bromenshenk, chiefexecutive officer of Bee Alert Technology Inc. in Missoula,Montana.